The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27
Ten Minutes Of Terror.

II happened one afternoon last year. during
the month Of November, that / received 2 tel
egram calling my presence in London early tn
next morning an important business matter.
l wired back this reply:
Mr.. J. Devon, Andersons Hotel. london: Shall
leave Burtown by Il tonight, and wiil call on you
tomorrow at $50 KSIGHTYI.
Having despatched my message finished
off the days work with all speed, and then re-
turned TO my lodgings to make preparations for
my journey.
The remainder OF the evening was spent in
Swimming over the mornings paper, wherein
! | found little to interest me. In disgust, L
flung the thing on the floor. 1t alighted at a
graceful angle on whose apex appeared the
| heading, conspicuous as loaded type could
make Shocking Wife Murder in Burtown
Arrest of the Murderer" L picked up the
paper and proceeded to digest the narrowing
details.' The gist Of the news was as follows
An abandoned ruffian, Chippy Watson by
name, had, after the fashion of his class,
| beaten his wife's skull with mallet, in conse-
quence of some domestic disagreement
| Having committed the deed, he coolly put on
| lis coat and hat, and was proceeding to depart
| when the neighbors and police, attracted by
! the screams of the unfortunate victim, rushed
| in and secured him.
1t was now past eleyen-time for me to
| make my way down to the station rather
more than time, in fact, since that imposing
! structure was distant from my lodgings by fully
! two miles. None the less, on reaching my
| destination there was only one minute left me
wherein to take my ticket and secure a seat.
| The latter operation, thanks to the slowness of
| the booking-clerk III handing me my change,
| had to be accomplished by running The gauntlet
| of guards and portefs as the train began to
| move.
| No sooner had ascertaiued that my limbs
| were uninjured by the unCeremonious fashion
| in which the railway officials had assisted
me to my seat than | discovered that the only
49, tal
| was ensconced was a young lady, and one,
| moreover, of no small beauty. Now, l am
| shy man as far as the fair sex is concerned.
| So it happened that, as | contemplated the
charms Of my vis-vis from behind the evening
paper which / had found time to buy on my
| flight to the station, measure OF my courage
returned, and in the inspiriting words OF Mr..
| Gilbert, said to myself: ON take heart and
! make start faint heart never won fair lady"
| 81 trust you were not alarmed by my uncer-
| emonious entry?" i remarked, with some in
| ward misgivings, but much outward assurance.
| For an answer, a quiet stare and slight
contraction of the pretty mouth OF my COM
| panion--indicating her opinion that, as
| stranger and unintroduced, had no right to
| speak to her.
The sense of defeat and disgrace fairly over
| whelmed me for while, andsmy eyes wander
! ed over the paper / held in my hand, seeing
but understanding not what they saw. At
| length they lighted upon IA
milar name, ,"Chippy Watson"
and their owner recovered his senses
and almost forgot his grief as he read the fol-
| lowing lines: "The Burtown Murder-Escape
| of the Prisoner After detailing the Incl
| dents of the hearing before the magistrate and
| the remand of the prisoner, pending the in
| quest, the paragraph went on as follows: ION
leaving the court, Watson was conducted be-
tween fuor officers to the van just as he was
stepping in, and when the policemen were
endeayoring to keep back the crowd
that pressed round, the prisoner suddenly
snapped his handouts, in some inexplicable
manner and knocking down the conStableS
who threw themselves upon him, broke
through the bystanders and fled down the
street. The whole affair took place as it seemed
in a second One minute, and Watson
| vigorously guarded was quietly walking into
| tho van in the midst of the officers; the
| next Eand he was free, tearing down the
| street with the police and the populace at his
| heels. He was seen to dodge down back al
| ley, known as Shut Lane, and followed by
| the crowd of several hundreds AT the end
of Shut Lane he disappeared round corner,
| and, strange to say, has not been seen again.
| There can be no doubt that he will be re-
captured, but his present escape and disap-
pearance are most mysterious. We under
stand that the fellow possesses singular
strength and agility, but none the less, 1t will
be n standing disgrace to our police authorities
that prisoner should thus, in broad daylight
and III the midst of a crowded thoroughfare,
effect his escape from the hands of justice.
He may be distinguished by scar across
his chin, and by having an arrow tattooed on
the back of his left hand"
AS lay back III my seat to muse llpon what
/ had read, my thoughts began after while to
wander and my head to nod, according to their
wont at midnight, and before long fell asleep.
How long slept l cannot tell-probably for a
few minutes only-but in those few
minutes | underwent u most diScomforting
dream. | dreamed that Chlppy Watson
stood over me, mallet i'll hand, and that
my travelling companion was holding his
arm, to avert the threatened blow. She
struggled in vain and the mallct 1ell-
yet with a strangely light touch-upon my
arm. With a start awoke, and then saw the
girl of my dream bending toward me with
scrap of paper in her hand. But her face, how
terribly was it changed! Instead of the dainty
pink flush had last seen, there was CHASTITY
whiteness in her cheeks, and her eyes seemed
starting from her head with terror. Holding
up one finger as if to command silence, she
passed me tho paper, on which were written
the following words: Some one is underneath
the seat, and has Just touched me-"
Was 1t the dream that filled me with the
! thought that this was no idle alarm? Icannot
| tell but this much L know, that in an instant
| there flashed across my mind with overwhelm-
| ing force the thought of the escaped wife muir
derer.
Returning my companions silence-signal by
gesture of acquiescence, l wrote upon the
paper:
Her answer was short and TO the point
| "No; do not look. 1t was hand"
Here. them was 9 sufficient dilemma but by
comparison with what had passed before be-
tween my fellow passenger and myself it was
| q dilemma that felt almost disposed to well
come. The male sex in my person was about
to assume its rightful position of protector TO
its weaker, if would be independent compan-
ion. Sweet was my revenge; and yet, the re-
venge scarcely promised to be wholly pleasur-
able.
My first action was to remove any suspicion
that might be in the mind of the mysterious
third occupant of the carriage, through the
presumably accidental action of having
touched the lady's dress. Giving vent to an
audible yawn, as though l had just awakened
from sleep, | remarked in n tone of cool imper-
Thence: you really must excuse me for ad-
dressing you again, madam; but will you per
init mo TO smoke to enliyen this tedious
iourncy?' As l spoke, l accompanied my
words by meaning glance, and was favored
with the reply: Certainly, if you wish it /
cannot prevent you"
Thereupon produced my valiso and tobacco
pouch and proceeded slowly to I'LL the former
as | thought out the plan OF action. ON refer
cnce 10 my watch saw that the train would
stop in another ten minutes. Clearly. the only